Abstract - Blind Assessment

Alternative Therapies 5(3), 88-91, May 1999

How Widely is Blind Assessment Used in Scientific Research?

by Rupert Sheldrake

ABSTRACT:
In everyday life, as in scientific research, "our beliefs, desires and expectations can influence, often subconsciously, how we observe and interpret things", as a recent article in the Skeptical Inquirer expressed it.(note 1) In experimental psychology and clinical research, these principles are widely recognized, which is why experiments in these subjects are often carried out under blind or double-blind conditions. There is overwhelming experimental evidence that experimenters' attitudes and expectations can indeed influence the outcome of experiments.